Psychorrhagy
by meridian-rose
Summary: Damon meets a Grim Reaper and learns something surprising


**Summary: **Damon meets a Grim Reaper and learns something surprising

For the Vampire Diaries Landcomm challenge Swap a Character; replace one character with another character played by the same actor. I swapped Sheila "Grams" Bennett, played by Jasmine Guy, with Roxanne "Roxy" Harvey from _Dead Like Me_

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_**Psychorrhagy**: the manifestation of a person's soul to another, usually at some distance from the body_

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He was _not_ going to get a ticket!

Damon stormed over the police officer, a dark skinned woman with her hair scraped back into a neat bun. She turned to face him.

"Is this your vehicle, sir?"

"Yes."

"It's not supposed to be parked here."

Damon considered biting her, but settled for trying compulsion. He glanced at her name badge. "You don't need to give me a ticket, Officer Harvey."

The woman was not impressed. "You don't go pulling none of that Jedi mind crap on Roxy, mister. It ain't going to fly."

Damon snarled. She must be drinking vervain. Fine. Biting it was, because he'd be damned if he was going to pay a fine just because some rookie cop thought he was parked too close to a hydrant.

Many weird things had happened to him over the years. This was the strangest. One minute he was about to bite the officer's neck, the next he was standing outside of his body. She – Roxy, he remembered – had his shirt in one fist, but his body was stood next to them. Empty.

"What the hell?" Damon spluttered.

"This is against the rules," Roxy said calmly. "But I don't think the rules exactly apply to you. I swear this whole place is insane. Witches and werewolves and now vampires?"

"You're a witch!"

"No, I'm a Reaper. I take souls. Now, what's your name?"

He saw no harm in answering. What else could she do to him? "Damon."

"Okay, Damon. I'm going to let go now but if you so much as show me those fangs again I'll fill you full of lead. Which won't kill you but will hurt like hell for a while, I'm guessing. And I'll be aiming at your groin."

Damon was suddenly back in his body. He patted it all over, swallowing reflexively.

"So, you go be about your business," Roxy said. "And I'll be about mine."

Damon watched as she crossed the street and went over to a jock from the local high school, conversed with him for a moment, then ran one hand along his arm. There was a sudden roll of thunder. Lightening struck a tree and a branch fell, nearly hitting the jock, who backed away, not looking, right into the path of an oncoming bus.

Damon saw Roxy walk over to the corpse of the jock and then move away talking to thin air. He had to assume she was dealing with the soul or spirit or whatever of the dead guy. After a few moments Roxy walked back towards him.

"I thought I told you to be on your way."

Damon nodded. "Yes, and I will be. But – " He hesitated. "You just yanked my soul from my body."

"And I put it back!" Roxy put her on her hips, her expression threatening more trouble if he didn't let it go.

"No, I know. It's just…so I do have a soul?"

Roxy shook her head and laughed. "Of course you do. What on earth made you think you didn't?"

He tapped his chest. "Vampire." He hadn't been certain humans had them, and if they did, if he still had one since becoming a vampire. Many people seemed to think vampires didn't, hence the myths about the lack of a reflection. And it was easy for him to do terrible things without compunction, and a lack of a soul might explain that. It seemed that would no longer work as an excuse, but he wasn't upset about it. Quite the opposite, to his surprise.

Roxy smiled. "Anything up and walking around has a soul," she said. "People, and squirrels, and even vampires."

Damon shook his head, still trying to process this new information.

"You're capable of love, aren't you?" Roxy asked, trying a new tack.

"Yes." He loved Stefan, and Elena, Alaric too when he thought about it, and had loved a few others over the years. After a moment's reflection, he realised this was a topic he'd have to devote much more time to thinking about, both the revelation and its implications.

"Well then. Congratulations. You have a soul."

It was time to change the subject. Damon's lips quirked in a sly smile. "What about zombies?"

"You have any of those?"

"I don't think so."

"Good. I don't even want to think about the paperwork I'd have to fill in for a zombie sighting. Good night, Damon."

Damon watched Roxy walk away. The experience had rattled him, sure, but ultimately he'd been left more comforted than disquieted.


End file.
